Micheal Clark
Dr. Micheal A. Clark is the president and CEO of the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). He joined NASM as a partner in 2000, and is recognized as the creator of the Optimum Performance Training method used by health and fitness professionals worldwide. He is also the team physical therapist to the Phoenix Suns. In 2005, Men’s Health selected Clark as the top visionary to shape the future of the health and fitness industry.[1]
Dr. Clark is currently the NBA’s Phoenix Suns team physical therapist.[2] He is also adjunct faculty member for the master’s of science in injury prevention and performance enhancement at the California University of Pennsylvania. Previously Dr. Clark served as a physical therapist for the St. Lucia national team at the 2000 Summer Olympics and Team USA Boxing at the 1996 Summer Olympics.[2]
Clark has worked with hundreds of professional and amateur athletes,[3] including Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito,[4] NBA MVPs, NBA All Stars, NFL All Pros, Olympic gold medalists and hall of fame athletes, World's Strongest Man, A-list celebrities, and professional soccer players.[2]
Education
- Rocky Mountain University, Doctor of Physical Therapy
- University of North Carolina, Master of science in Human Movement
- University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Science
- Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM-PES)
- Corrective Exercise Specialist (NASM-CES)
Books
- NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training (Lippincott/Williams & Wilkins, 2007)
- Optimum Performance Training: Basketball (HarperCollins, 2006)
- “Advanced Stabilization-Training for Performance Enhancement,” (Chapter 29) Rehabilitation of the Spine: A Practitioner's Manual (Lippincott/Williams & Wilkins, 2006)
- Core Stabilization Training in Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation Techniques in Sports Medicine and Athletic Training (McGraw-Hill, 2004)